Fluid quantity control



Jan. 20, 1959 G. T.' KOEHLER. 2,869,577 FLUID QUANTITY CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 6, 1957 FIG-l.

FIG-2 INVENTOR GORDON T. KOEHLER ATTORNEYS Jan. 20, 1959 G. T. KOEHLER 2,869,577

FLUID QUANTITY CONTROL Filed-May 6, 1957 I 2 Sheetgj-Sheet 2 FIG- 3 INVENTOR GORDON T. KOEHLER ATTORNEYS Movement of float in response to a change in the level of fluid within receptacle 11 will result in pivotal movement of actuating arm 74 which will in turn either seat or unseat valve member 73 against the outlet end of passage 72. V

A cup-like shield extends upwardly from mounting plate 35 adjacent the opening 25 to define a chamber 91 within the enlarged inner end 17 of housing 15 to provide space to receive float 85 in order that it may move above the maximum fluid level obtainable within receptacle 11. Provision of chamber 91 enables a more complete filling of receptacle 11 than would be the case Where the float can move only into contact With the upper wall since the latter arrangement would necessitate interruption of fluid flow at a time when the fluid level was substantially below the top wall ofthe receptacle. Shield as has an opening 92 in the upper Wall thereof providing for the removal of gas from chamber 91 so that the liquid level within the tank can rise properly within the float chamber during a filling operation.

A generally U-shaped baflle 95 surrounds float arm 86 and connecting arm 87 to insure proper vertical movement of these parts and to eliminate lateral movement thereof due to the movement of the surrounding fluid medium. Baflle 95 is secured to a larger float housing 96 by bolts 97 which extend upwardly, through openings in mounting tabs 98 of bafl'le 95, into the lower portion of the housing 96. Baflle 95 includes a plurality of bottom and side openings 100 which enable entry of fluid from the interior of receptacle 11 into the interior of the housing in order that float 85 may be elevated by the rising fluid surface as the receptacle is being filled. Since fluid exiting through outlet openings 55 can cause undesired fluctuation of float 85, a pair of generally parallel deflectors 1M are attached to the rear, sloping surface of float housing 96 and extend at approximately the same angle as the valve 40. These deflectors channel the fluid away from the float housing and substantially prevent fluctuation of the float 85.

Referring to Fig. 6 an alternative form for venting float chamber 91 is shown, in which a vent tube is slidably attached to opening 92 and extends through the wall of housing 15. The outer end 106 of tube 105 is preferably turned down to discourage the entry of contaminants into the tank as well as to prevent blockage of the outlet opening from ice and the like.

In use, connection to a source of fluid supply is made with outer end 16 of housing 15 and the fluid fed into the interior of housing 15 through tube 31. When the liquid level within receptacle 11 is below the float, the float and float arm will assume the position indicated by I the phantom showing in Fig. 1 so that valve member 73 will be canted to open passage 72 to the passage of fluid. When pressure builds up Within housing 15 the fluid pressure acting against diaphragm structure 50 will compress coil spring 48 and cause valve seal 47 to move away from valve seat 46, thereby permitting fluid previously kept from chamber 51 by diaphragm structure 50 to flow into the chamber. Once the fluid enters chamber 51 it can of course flow into the interior of receptacle 11 through the plurality of radially disposed outlet openings 55.

During the fluid flow period a small amount of fluid will flow through filtering screen 62, through fluid passage 53, and into chamber 52, and finally into the receptacle 11 through pilot valve 71. Since fluid is leaving chamber 52 as quickly as it is entering there is no build up of pressure behind the diaphragm which would tend to aid coil spring48 in overcoming the pressure exerted by incoming fluid. Once the level of fluid within receptacle 11 reaches the point where fluid will begin to flow into the float chamber 91, the float 85 will begin to rise and cause movement of connecting arm 87 and actuating arm 74. When the fluid has substantially completely filled the receptacle 11, as shown in Fig, l, the float will move upwardly into recess 91 within shield 90, and valve member 73 will seat, and as soon as this occurs, the pressure will rapidly build up behind diaphragm structure 50 until the pressure on both sides of diaphragm 67 will be equalized so that the biasing force of coil spring 48 can seat valve seal 47. During the filling operation, gas which would otherwise be entrapped within the float cham ber 91 by the rising liquid level therein is vented by the opening 92 into the passageway 18 in the housing 15, and such vented gas will be entrained with the incoming fluid and carried thereby into the interior of the receptacle 11 for ultimate escape to the atmosphere through the usual tank vent (not shown).

It will also be understood that with the float chamber extending above the upper wall of the receptacle 11, and thereby above the maximum liquid level within the receptacle 11, the float 85 can similarly extend above the upper wall of the receptacle for operation of the pilot valve only when the receptacle is substantially completely filled. The construction of the float chamber including the vent 92 connecting with the passageway 18 further contributes to eflicient operation of the valve, since when the main valve does close and the fluid supply is stopped, whatever small'amount of surplus fluid is still present in the passageway 18 above the vent 92 will tend to pass therethrough into the float chamber. The resulting temporary rise of the effective liquid level in the float chamber causes the float to try to rise still higher and thus to assure firm closing of the pilot valve with minimum possibility of fluctuation of the float.

While the form of apparatus herein described constitutes a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid level control valve for defining the maximum liquid level to be established through an opening in a top wall of a vented receptacle by a high delivery rate source of liquid to fill said receptacle with minimum liquid loss through the air vent of the receptacle, the combination of an inlet housing received on said receptacle over said wall opening and including a portion extending above the level of said top wall and defining an inlet passageway for connection with the fluid delivery source, a valve supporting plate received on said receptacle below said housing, a valve body supported by said plate in depending relation within said receptacle and including means defining an inlet in communication with the interior of said housing to receive the entire flow of fluid from said source and a fluid outlet in communication with the interior of said receptacle, a float-operated pilot valve received in said body, inlet valve means received in said body and controlled by said pilot valve to close said inlet to the further entry of liquid from said source, said plate having a float opening therethrough, an inverted cup-like float shield carried by said plate over said opening and extending into said inlet housing to define a float chamber projecting upwardly into said inlet passageway, means connecting said float chamber to the interior of said receptacle to receive liquid therefrom according to the liquid level in said receptacle, a float received within said chamber and operably connected with said pilotvalve to effect operation thereof in response to the liquid level within said chamber, and said shield being proportioned to extend to a level within said inlet passageway substantially higher than the level of said top wall to provide space in said float chamber above the top of the interior of said receptacle in order to provide for complete filling of 'said receptacle before operation of said pilot valve by said float.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 including means in said shield defining a vent opening into said inlet pas- 5 6 sageway for venting entrapped gas from said float cham- References Cited in the file of this patent her into said passageway upon the rise of the liquid level in said chamber due to the filling of said receptacle and UNITED STATES PATENTS also for effecting liquid flow from said passageway into 2,606,572 Arnold Aug. 12, 1952 said chamber immediately following closure of said inlet 5 2,698,631 Bashark Ian. 4, 1955 valve means. 

